Manufacture of titanium compounds



May 26, 1936.y s. s. svENDsr-:N

* MANUFACTUR OF TITANIUM COMPOUNDS 1 Filed May 27, 1932 Fu/entier:

WM@ wmwsgw Patented May ze, 1936 UNITED STAT-Es PATENT OFFICE mmso'rona or TITANIUM coMrcUNns Svend S. Svendscn, Madison, Wis., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Burgess Titanium Company, a corporation of Delaware.

Applicatlolrin May 27, 1932, Serial N0. 614,043

Norway June 9, 1931 titanium content of the mineral or compoundv may be' separatedk from other metallic constituents thereof by conversion into and separation as a complex titanium fluoride compound. Silicon present is also vaporized as a fluoride -compound, but as the silicon and titanium compounds are dissimilar in certain physical and chemical characteristics, they may be readily separated.

For example, silicon tetrauoride is a gas at room temperatures whereas titanium tetrafluoride boils at a temperature of about 290 C. The vaporization temperatures of the diammino-tetrafiuorides of silicon and of titanium lie about 100 C. apart. Silicon tetrafluoride and its ammino compound are decomposed by water and the silica is completely precipitated by the addition of a stoichiometrically equivalent amount of ammonia, whereas the corresponding titanium com' pounds are watersoluble without decomposition and the titanla precipitated only by the addition 'of van excess of ammonia. Y

In operating in accordance with the present invention, I subject the titanium-containing material to the action of reactive fluoride compounds, thereby forming titanium fiuorine compounds. While the conditions of operation may be such that non-volatile titanium uorinel compounds are formed, I prefer to so conduct the operation as to form a volatilization titanium tetrafluoride compound and may subsequently eect its vaporization. l

I have found that it is possible to control the conditions of reaction so that the primary titanium fluorine compound formed is of a complex typeas hereinafter set forth and such that. its titanium content is, on heating, substantially volatllizable, or it is of a different type due to presence of water` in the primary stage orto a reaction th an oxygen compound as iis more fully explained hereinafter. Such reactive'oxygen compounds are, `for instance, metallic oxides present during the vaporization of the titaniuml fluorine compound.' In the following description I have sct forth conditions for the formation and separation of the titanium content of ,the material in connection with the formation of either type of primary compound.

4a ohm. (c1. 23402) In carrying out the invention, I prefer to maintain conditions under which substantially complete conversion 'and separation of the titanium content of the mineral may be eifected. In the treatment of a titanium oxide compound with a 5 reactive fluoride, however, titanium iiu'orine compounds may form, from which complete vaporization of the titanium may not be eifected on further heating. For instance, 'if the reactive' fluoride is added to a titaniuml oxide compound 1o lheated excessively, say to o'r near the temperature at which the volatile titanium uorine com-l pound is vaporized, or if the reactive fluoride lis mixed with .a titanium oxide compound at a lower temperature and then heated to or near the vaporization temperature of the volatile titanium fluorine compound before substantial completion of the conversion .of the titanium oxide com-v pound into ilziorine compounds, or if insuicient ammonium fluoride is used non-volatile titanium iiuorine compounds will form to a greater or less extent. Reactive oxygen compounds .are here present during'the formation and vaporiz'ation of the titanium iiuorine compound.

A titanium iiuorine compound, which on further heating, leaves non-volatile titanium iiuorine compounds, may also form at a temperature substantially below the vaporization temperature of the volatile titanium iiuorine compound if a large excess of the reactive uoride is present in a sintered or molten state or if liquid water is present; for instance, if ammonium fluoride in a quantity suiiicient for the reaction is added in one portion to the titanium containing material and the mixture heated. Apparently a titanium oxyiluoride compound is formed underthese conditions.

The titanium, uorine compound formed by reaction of a reactive fluoride, such as ammonium fluoride, on a titanium oxide' compound 40 under proper conditions, with ammoniumiluoride in excess and, for example, gradually addedat a temperature between about 110 C.250 C.,

Acontains appreciably more .uorine relative to titanium than is indicated by the formula: TiFi.-

4It' is probably a complex titanium tetrafluorideamrnino-ammoniumV fluoride compound:

TiF4..'ENH3.yN'H4F.

tially completely vaporizable, I have found it desirable that ammonium fluoride be added to the titanium oxide compound in considerable ex- The complex titanium tetrafluoride compound thus formed'at below 250" C. apparently is the complex .titanium tetrailuoride-ammino-ammonium fluoride compound TiFnNHayNHiF., It is evidently not decomposed by water vapors at a temperature substantially below'its vaporization temperature. It vaporizes and dissociates on further heating, forming ammonia, ammonium fluoride and titanium diamminotetrailuor- .l ide. I have found that such vaporization starts at a temperature below about 290 C.

If ammonium fluoride is added to the titanium oxide compound in stoichiometric proportion (Equation (1)) there is a shortage of reactive fluoride caused by the formation of the complex titanium tetrafluoride compound of Equation (2) where :r is larger than 2. With further heating 300 C., apparently at the undecomposed oxides apparently react with this complex titanium tetrafluoride compound vto form a non-volatile titanium-fluorine compound, apparently an oxyfiuoride compound. It is therefore essential under these conditions to eliminate oxygen compounds capable of reacting with the complex titanium tetrailuoride compound to form a non-volatile compound. Under some conditions, if liquid water is present during the fluoride formation or if water vapor or a metallic oxide is present during the vaporization of the complex tetrafluoride compound such non-volatile compoundsalso are formed.

By increasing the temperature of the reaction mixture to above the vaporization temperature of the complex titanium tetrafluoride compound, at least a part of the non-volatile titanium fiuorine compounds decompose to form and volatilize some additional titanium tetrailuoride compounds. Varying proportions of non-volatile titanium-fluorine (probably oxyfluoride) residue containing ammonia. and possibly an ammino compound, are left u'nvolatilized.

In operating in accordance with my invention, -Isubject the titaniferous material to the action of ammonium fluoride or of a reaction mixture capable of forming ammonium fluoride in proportions to secure the formation of a titanium-f fluorine product capable of forming acomplex titanium tetrailuoride compound, and preferably the complex titanium tetraiiuoride compound previously described, the titanium content of vwhich is substantially completely vaporizable as a tetrafluoride compound. The ammonium uoride or a, reactive mixture capable of producing itrissupplied in proportions in excess of that required to react with the combined oxides of the material, and in an amount in sufcient excess of the stoichiometrical equivalent of thetitanium content of the mineralas previously explained. Ammonium fluoride reacts with silica, present to form volatile silicon diamminotetrafluoride and with metallic oxides to form iiuorperaturesthe reaction inI ides. Suitabletemperatures are employed to secure the desired reaction, and in general the temperatures used are above 100 C'., in order that the reaction may take place in substantially dry state; that is, in the absence of liquid water.

However, even at above 100 C. there are conditions under which there may be formed titaniumfluorine products of which only a part may be converted into volatilizable titanium tetraflucride compounds on dissociation. '1, therefore, prefer tofurther control the conditions as hereinafter set forth s'o that substantially all of the titanium content of the raw material is converted into iluorine compounds of substantially completely va- 'porizable titanium content. However, it is to be understood that my invention comprehends broadly the conduct of the process in such -manner as to secure at least a partial ultimate conversion of the titanium compounds into volatile fluoride compounds.

I may use, as the reactive fluoride, either hydrofiuoric acid, ammonium iiuoride, ammonium biiluoride or a reaction mixture capable of producing'such fluoride compounds, such as a mixture of sulfuric acid, sodium acid sulfate, a titanium sulfate compound, or ammonium sulfate,

with a metallic fluoride such as fiuorspar. In general, I prefer to use ammonium fluoride, as it is regenerated in the process land also, through its use, it becomes possible to form the primary complex 'titanium tetrafluoride compound which is not reacted upon by the water vapors generated during its formation.

Although the primary reaction may be conducted at temperatures of 100C. or even lower, at which temperatures water in liquid form is present, in the present embodiment of my invention. I use temperatures such that the reaction mixture is maintained substantially dry; that is, so that the water formed by the reaction is generated in vapor form. This condition I designate hereinafter as dry state. Thus I prefer to maintain a temperature of at least above aboutV 110 C. to 120 C. during the reaction. Furthermore,

to aid in maintaining a dry state, I may add the reactive fluoride employed gradually during the reaction. This avoids any possible accumulation of liquid water or sintering of the reactive fiuoride. The temperature is preferably maintained below 300 C. and in general below 250 C. during formationv of the primary complex titanium tetrafluoride compound, thereby avoiding substantial dissociation thereof during its formation. In general, I prefer to employ temperatures above 150 C., since at such temthe direction of the formation of the complex titanium tetrafiuoride -compound desired takes place at a more rapid rate and without requiring the grinding to excessive iineness of the reaction materals, and particularly the titanium ore. Any silica present is volatilized as silicon diamminotetrauoride as the temperature is raised above 230 C., this compound being substantially entirely volatilized below 290 C.

After completing theformation of the' desired is raised to above230 C. and in general above 290 C. When non-volatile titanium fluorine compounds are absent, temperatures of about 350 C. are found to be suilicient. Under these temperature conditions, the primaryv complex titanium tetrailuoride compound vaporizes and primary complex titanium tetrafluoride compound, the temperature of the reaction mixture titanium diamminotetrauoride.

The reaction residue, which may contain metallic fluorides, such as iiuorides of iron, aluminum and the like, and may also contain unvolatilized titanium fluoride compounds, may be heated in an atmosphere of water vapor and ammonia, or water.vapor alone; or.a reactive sulfate, such as ammonium sulfate .may be admixed therewith and the mixture heated, in `order to remove the fluoride content of the residue. For example, by heating the residue of the reaction mixture with ammonium sulfate to reacting temperatures of about 300 C. to 350 C., the metallic uorides present are decomposed, ammonium fluoride is formed and passes oil asa vapor, and metallic sulfates remain. Y The titanium ores available usually have considerable iron present. 'Ihis reaction therefore leaves ferrous sulfate (see Reaction 3) which may be decomposed by roasting in the presence of steam to form sulfuric acid and iron oxide. If any non-volatile titanium fluoride compound is present in the reaction residue, it likewise is decomposed under these conditions, the titanium being at least in part vaporized as atitanium amminofluoride.

The ammonium fluoride produced in the sulfate reaction may be employed to bring up the strength of the ammonium fluoride solution used in decomposing the titanium diamminotetrauoride and any accompanying silicon diamminotetrafiuoride, as hereinafter more fully set forth. Losses of ammonium fluoride which may occur may be made upby adding the desired amount of a mixture of fluorspar andammonium sulfate or other reaction mixture capable of forming ammonium fluoride to the reaction residue during its decomposition by ammonium sulfate.

ploying, instead of water and ammonia, an ammoniacal solution of concentrated ammonium fluoride. By barrying out the decomposition at reduced temperatures, the density of the titania precipitate y'may be Ifurther increased.

By choosing as .the'titanium containing material an anhydrous titanium salt, such as the alkali or ammonium double sulfate and a' metallic fluoride suchas sodium fluoride, as the nuorine source, thevaporization of the titaniumv as a tetrafiuoride compound may be accomplished,l as illustrated in Equation (4)'.

(4) Narrusoo3+4NaF=aNazsoi+1iFi By heating ammonium titanium sulfate with, for instance, `calcium fluoride, titanium tetrafluoride is formed and. vaporized together with ammonium fluoride,

` 5) (NHmntsom-tacan: f

season-mamma' 1f an man doable sulfate is used 1n the reas illustrated in Equation action as in Equation (4), ammonium fluoride preferably is added to act as an intermediary between the metallic. compoundsA to facilitate the reaction. A double fluoride compound of titanium and ammonium is apparently primarily formed. Since titanium tetrauoride condenses to a liquid and is corrosive to metals it is desirable to form the non-corrosive 'diammino' compound which condenses to a solid by carrying out Reactions (4) and (5) in the presence of .ammonia gas.

The temperature at which the Reactions (4) and (5) takes place is below the dissociation temperature of the titanium sulfate compound, and preferably below about 400 C.

'I'he present principal available sources of titanium oxide are ilmenite and rutile. lRutile is erably a preheating to above 1040 C.' with sudden cooling to increase its reactivity.

The accompanying drawingis a flowl sheet diagrammatically illustrating several embodiments of the invention.

The following is a specific example of one method for carrying out my invention, using ilmenite as the source of titanium oxide. However, it isito be understood that my invention is not limited to these specic details of thisexample:

The ore, preferably pulverized to a. iineness such that at least will pass through a 150 mesh screen,vis heated, suitably in an enclosed, externally-heated furnace with 'suitable stirring mechanism, feeding devices and outlets for discharge of the vapors and residue. The temperature of the material is raised preferably to about -200 C. Ammonium fluoride crystals are gradually added in such a manner that at no timel during the operation is there present in the reaction mass a substantial amount of free ammonium fluoride. This addition is usually made lover a period of several hours. The total added fluoride is in the proportion of about 2 to 21/2 parts by weight to 1 part of ore. The. temperature is maintained preferably at about 150-200 C. during the reaction. The ammonia vand water `vapors evolved are collected.

After substantially complete conversion of the material into desired iiuorine compounds at 150- 200 C., distinguishable by a change of color of the powdery mass from black to grayish, white, the temperature' is raised to between 300 C. and 400 C.,-prefera'bl'y to about 340-350 C'. At this temperature the volatile uorine compounds are vaporized. Toward the end of the reaction the temperature may be raised, to about 4009 C. or higher to dissociate titanium fluorine compounds that were not volatilized at the lower temperatures. The vapors evolved are collected. After the vapors have ceased to be evolved, ammonium sulfate is gradually added to dissociate the nenvolatile fluoride residue. Ammonium fluoride passes oif and metallic sulfates are formed.

The temperature during the decomposition of the residue is preferably kept at about 30D-350 C.` Approximately 1 part by weight of ammonium sulfate for 1 part by'weight of the original ore may be added. Any non-volatile titanium fluoride compound present is also dissociated by the sulfate and at least a part of its titanium content vaporized as diamminotetrafluoride. During this operation a mixture of fluorspar and ammonium sulfate maybe added in a quantity sufficient to supply any deficiency of ammonium fluoride due to less in the operations involving the-decomposition of the volatilized fluoride compounds or in other stages of the process.

The furnace residue, consisting almost entirely of ferrous sulfate, may be roasted at a temperature of about500 C. and the sulfuric acid regenerated in a way known to the art. This acid may be combined' with ammonia produced in the preceding operations to form ammonium sulfate, which may be employed in a. further dissociation of fluoride residue. The iron is recovered as iron oxide.

The ammonium sulfate used in the: operation may also be regenerated by reactingar'nmonia, evolved during treatment of the ore or produced 'during' other stages of the process, with iron sulfate, crystallized or in solution, derived from the residue.

If desired, the residue may be leached for the production of ferrous sulfate (copperas) instead of roasting itas above set forth.

The combined furnace vapors containing titanium tetrafluoride compounds, ammonium fluoride and ammonia are contacted with an aqueous solution of ammonia or preferably with an ammoniacal solution of ammonium fluoride in any suitable manner, for example, in a cooled scrubbing or spray tower. A cooled ammoniacal aqueous liquid is employed and the reaction mixture is` cooled also during the` reaction to below 34 C. to effect a complete precipitation, and preferably below C. to increase the density of the precipitated titania.

The material discharged from the scrubber contains very fine particles of titania suspended in the ammonium fluoride solution. The more concentrated the fluoride content of the solution and the lower the temperaturel of the ammoniacal liquid in the scrubber, the denser is the titania precipitate.

The scrubbing liquid may be cooled and reused for reaction with the titanium tetrafluorideY compounds tov build up its concentration of titania and ammonium fluoride which areformed in the decomposition of the titanium tetrafluoride compounds. The vtitania may be filtered out and the liquid filtrate alone recirculated. After the desired concentration of ammonium fluoride has been reached, a part of the liquid from the scrubber maybe removed., and filtered, while the remainder of the liquid is recirculated with the addition of the wash water from the titania precipitate to make up the loss in volume.

The portion of the withdrawn liquid from I which the titania hasbeen removed may be evaporated to crystallization ofits ammonium fluoride content. 'I'he ammoniacal water vapor given off may be used to provide ammonia for the regeneration of ammonium sulfate. 'I'he ammonium fluoride recovered is available for use in the treatment of the titanium mineral.

The density of the recovered titania may be' are treated or washed in any suitable device or scrubber, with water or with asolution of ammonium fluoride, but which has not been made ammoniacal. I have named the silica which is thereby precipitated, alphaf silica. This silica 5 is filtered out and the filtrate, containing the dissolved titanium tetrafluoride compound together with ammonium fluoride and ammonium silicouoride is then treated with ammonia. By keeping the temperature'low during this treatment 1( with ammonia and keeping the solution concentrated a dense, opaque silica, which I have named beta silica, is precipitated together with a dense titania. The alpha is translucent and has a high oil absorption and it is therefore desirable to conduct the operation in twosteps as described. This method is preferred when a large amount of silica is present with the titanium ore, and may be used in the production of a silica-titania .pigment of high tinting strength and hiding 2( power, the silica acting as an extender though having considerable covering power in itself. If required, silicious material may be added to the titanium ore.

However for the production of this mixed pigment I prefer to produce and vaporize the silicon tetrafluoride compound separately from the titanium tetrafluoride compound. The vaporized compounds may then be mixed and treated as described, contacting either the vapor or the solid material with a non-ammoniacal aqueous solution. Or ammonium Silico-fluoride may be produced separately and mixed with the titanium tetrafluoride compound in solid state and contacted with the ammoniacal liquor. Ammonium silicofluoride also may be vadded during the titania precipitation. The conditions as to temperature, salt concentration, etc., to be followed in order to obtain a dense, opaque titania precipitate also hold forl the titania-silica precipitate. 4( If a silica-free titania is desired, the silicon and titanium-containing vapors from the furnace may Abe collected separately, for example, in the following manner:

The titanium and silicon content of the mate- 15 rial treated isv first converted into Volatile tetrafluoride compounds as hereinbefore described. The temperature of the reaction mixture containing the volatile compounds, is then raised to about 23o-290 C., preferably to about 27o-290 C., at 5( which temperature the silicon-tetrafluoride compund vaporizes as silicon diammino tetrafluoride. After removing the silicon the temperature is raised and the titanium tetrafluoride compound vaporized and subjected to treatment as hereinbefore described.

- This application is a continuation in part of my prior applicationl Serial No. 425,345, filed February 1, 1930, now Pat. No. 1,911,004 and Serial No. 425,671, flied February 3, 1930 now Pat. No. 6( 1,959,747.

The term volatile and non-volatile are here meant to'represent these propertieswithin thetemperatures involved.

In this application I make no distinction between ammonium fluoride and ammonium "bifiuoride, as both may be used. Likewise the normal ammonium sulfate andthe ammonium bisulfate may be used.

I claim: 7(

1. 'Ihe method of producing titanium oxide from a titanium containing material which compriseslheating said material witha 'reactive fluoride to form a Volatile titanium tetrafluoride compound, vaporizing said titanium. tetrafiuoridefi compound and said vaporized com- D0und with an aqueous ammoniacal solution.

2. The'method of producing titanium oxide which comprises subjecting titanium oxide-con-- l and below 250 C., increasing the temperature to above.290" C., whereby volatile titanium tetranuoride compounds are vaporized, and contacting the vapors with an ammoniacal solution oi ammonium fluoride, thereby forming titania, and iiltering said titania from the ammonium iluoride solution.

4. The method oi producing titanium oxide which comprises treating a volatilizable titaniumfluorine-ammonia compound with water in the l presence of ammonia.

' ing liquid at a low temperature.

5. The method oi producing titanium oxide which comprises treating a volatilizable titaniumfluoride-ammonia 4compound with water in the presence of an excess of ammonia.

s. The method of producing titanium oxide which comprises treating a volatilizable titaniumnuorine-ammonia compound with water in the presence of ammonia while maintaining the treat- 7. The method oi producing titanium oxide which comprises treating a volatilizable titanium tetrauoride compound with ammonia in .the presence of a solution oi ammonium fluoride.

8. The method o! producing titanium oxide which comprises treating a volatilizable titanium tetrafluoride compound with ammoniain the presence oi, a concentrated aqueous solution oi am- 9. 'I'he method oi producing a dense titanium oxide whichcomprises treating a volatilizable titanium tetrailuoride compound with a cold ammoniacal concentrated solution of ammonium fluoride and maintaining the temperature below 10 C., removing the titania from the iluoride solution by ltration, .and milling the illter cake l so produced. y

, 10. The method of producing an intimate mixture oi.' titanium oxide and silica from a titanium and silicon containing material which lcomprises heating said material, as herein described, with a reactive uoride compound to form a mixture of volatile silicon tetrailuoride and titanium tetranuoride compounds, vaporizing said tetrailuoride compounds, and contacting said mixed vaporized compounds with an aqueous ammoniacal solution.

11. The method of producing an intimate mixture of titanium oxide and a dense silica from a titanium and silicon containing material which comprises heating said material, as herein described, with a reactive uoride compound to form a 'mixture of voatile silicon 'tetrauoride and titanium tetrafiuoride compounds,'vaporiz v ing said. tetrauoride compounds, and contacting said mixed vaporiaed compounds with water, removing the silica precipitated thereby, and contacting the residual solution with ammonia.

12. The method ofV producing an intimate mixture of titanium oxii'le and a dense silica from a titanium' containing material which comprises heating said material, as. herein described, with a reactive iiuoride compound to form a volatile titanium tetrailuoride compound, vaporizing said 5 tetrailuoride compound, and contacting said vaporized compound together with ammonium silicoiluoride with an ammoniacalammonium iluoride solution. y

' 13. The method of producing an intimate mixture of titanium oxide and silica from a titanium and silicon containing material which comprises 'heating said material as herein described with a reactive iluoride compound to form a mixture oi.' silicon tetrailuoride and titanium tetrafluoride compounds, subjecting said mixture to the action of an ammonium iiuoride solution, removing the insolubles from said solution and subjecting the silicon and titanium compounds remaining in solution to the action oi ammonia.

14. The method of producing an intimate mixture of titanium oxide and silica from a titanium and silicon containing material, which comprises' treating said material as herein described with an excess of ammonium fluoride to form a 25 mixture of silicon tetra-iiuoride and titanium tetrafiuoride compounds, subjecting said mixture to the action of water, removing the insolubles from the resulting solution and subjecting the silicon and titanium -compounds in solution to 30 the action of ammonia.

15. The method of producing silica and titanium oxide from a titanium and silicon-containing material which comprises heating said material with a reactive iluoride compound under 35 conditions to form a mixture of volatile silicon tetrailuoride and titanium tetrailuoride compounds, vaporizing said tetrafluoride compounds, contacting the mixed vaporized compounds with an aqueous solution of ammonium fluoride, removing the silica precipitated thereby, and contacting the residual solution with ammonia.

l 16. The method of producing silica and titanium oxide which comprises forming and volatilizing aV mixture oi ammino-fiuoride compounds of silicon and titanium, contacting said compounds with an aqueous liquid, separating the silica precipitate formed thereby, and contacting the residual solution with ammonia.

17. 'Ihe step in the method oi.' removing titanium from a titanium-containing material which comprises heating said material in the presence of ammonium uoride.

18. 'I'he step in the method of removing titaniumA from a titanium-containing material which 55 comprises mixing and heating said material with ammonium fluoride at a temperature suillcient to secure substantial dryness.

19. The step in the method of removing titanium from atitanium-containing material which 60 comprises heating the titanium-containing material in the presence oi ammonium fluoride at a temperature suiilciently high to .maintain substantial dryness of the reaction mixture and substantially all of the titanium will be converted into titanium-ilumine-ammonia compounds,

21. In the method of removing titanium from a titanium-containing material, the step which 75 an excess of ammonium fluoride at a temperature of above about 11G-120 C.

22. The step in the lmethod of removing titanium from a titanium-containing material which' comprises heating said material in the presence of ammonium fluoride to a temperature above about 11G-120 C.

. 23. In the method of removing titanium from a titanium-containing material, the step which comprises heating the titanium-containing material in the presence of ammonium fluoride at a temperature above about 11G-120 C. and below the volatilization temperature of the titaniumuorine compound formed.

24. In the production of titanium oxide, forming and contacting a titanium-ammino-fluoride compound with an aqueous solution, and contion, in aqueous solution, of ammonia in excess,

' ing said compound with ammonium fluoride at a whereby free ammonia is present throughout the precipitation reaction.

' 27. The method of producing titanium oxide which comprises treating titanium ammino tetrailuoride vapors with Water in the presence of ammonia.

28. The method of producing titanium oxide which comprises contacting titaniumv ammino tetrauoride vapors-with water, thereby cooling said vapors,- and causing reaction to form titanium oxide. 1

29. The method of removing titanium from a titanium containing material which comprises treating said material with a reactive fluoride to form a' titanium tetrafluoride compound, and vaporizing said titanium tetrafluoride compound in the substantial absence of water vapors.

3.0. The method of removing titanium from a titanium oxide compound which comprises heattemperature suiciently high to .prevent the formation of liquid water in the reaction mass, and volatilizing titanium tetrafluoride compounds therefrom.

31. The method of removing titanium from a titanium oxide compound which comprises heating said compound With-an amount of ammonium fluoride suiicient to substantially completely convert the titanium of said oxide compound into a titanium tetrafluoride ammino-ammonium fluoride compound, and volatilizing a titanium tetrauoride compound therefrom.

titanium oxide compound-Which comprises gradually adding ammonium fluoridev to the heated titanium oxide compound, and volatilizing titanium tetrafluoride compounds formed.

. 33. The method of removing titanium from a titanium oxide compound which comprises gradually adding ammonium uoride to the oxide compound heated at a temperature of between about 110 C. and 250'J C., and raising the temcompounds thereby.

32. The method of removing titanium from al comprises mixing and heating said material with perature to volatilizel the titanium tetrafluoride r34. In the method of removing titanium from a. titanium oxide compound comprising the heating of said compound with ammonium fluoride 5 with the formation of a titaniumtetrafluorideammino-ammonium uoride'compound, the step which comprises heating said'titanium tetrauoride compound to between about 290 C. and 400 C.

35. The method of producing a titanium tetrafluoride-ammonium liuoride-ammonia compound from a titanium oxide material which comprises admixing therewith ammonium fluoride 4in, excess and maintaining a temperature suciently high to'maintain substantial dryness but below the dissociation temperature.

36. The method of removing titanium from a titanium oxide compound which comprises heating said compound with ammonium fluoride and 20 volatilizing the titanium tetrauoride compound formed, and further heating the residue from said titanium tetrafluoride volatilization with ammonium sulfate.

37. The method of claim 1'7 in which ammonium sulfate is added to the reaction mass after volatilization of the volatile titanium tetrauoride compounds and heated therewith at temperatures of 300 C. to 350 C.

38. The method of removing titanium fromA 30 rutile which comprises heating the rutile to a high heat and suddenly cooling as herein described, heating the powdered rutile vso treated with ammonium iluoride gradually added in excess at a temperature from 110 C. to 250 C. and raising 35 the temperature of the reaction mass to above about 290 C.

39. In the removal of titanium 'from materials containing titanium oxide and silicious material the method which comprises subjecting said 40 material to the action of a reactive iluoride under V conditions to form tetrauoride compounds of silicon and titanium, heating the mixture to a 40. In the removal of titanium and silicon from v materials containing 'them in admixture, subjecting such materials to the action of ammonium fluoride in excess to form volatile silicon tetraluoride compounds and normal titanium tetraluoride 'compounds having a relative uorine content'higher than that of titanium tetrauoride, maintaining a temperature belowthat of volatilization of the titanium tetrafluoride compounds 60 and suniciently high to .volatilize silicon tetraliuoride compounds, and subsequently increasing the temperature of the residual mixture, thereby volatilizing titanium tetrafluoride compounds.

41. In vthe methodof removing the titanium from rutile, preliminarily heating the rutile to a temperature above at least 1040 C. and rapidly cooling it.`

42. As a new compound, a complex titanium tetrafluoride-ammino-ammonium iluoride compound of the general formula, TiF4.xNH3.yNI-I4F, which dissociates on heating and volatilizing into a titanium ammino-tetrafluoride compound.

43. The cyclical process for treating titaniumbearing ores containing substantial quantities of iron, which comprises treating said ore with ammonium fluoride to form ammonia and uoride compounds of titanium and iron, separating said compounds, contacting said titanium iuoride compound with ammonia released in said initial reaction to thereby form titanium hydrate and ammonium uoride, separating said hydrate from said ammonium fluoride. treating said iron uoride in the presence of water vapors to form iron oxide and hydrofiuoric acid, contacting said hydrofiuoric acid with ammonia formed in said initial reaction to thereby form ammonium fluoride, and treating further quantities of ore withl said recovered ammonium uoride.

SVEND, S. SVENDSEN.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,042,434. May 26, 1936,

SVEND S. SVENDSEN.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows Page l, second column, line 25, beginning with the words "A titanium" strike out al1 to and including the syllable and period "ditions. in line 57, same page and column; page 2, second Column, line 6l for "matel als" read materials; page 4, second column, line 62, for "term" read terms; page 5, second column, line 58, claim 18, for "secure" read maintain; and line 623, claim 19, for "maintain" read secure; page 6, first column,l line 18, claim 24, for "solution" read liquid; and line 19, same claim, for "liguid" read solution; same page, second column, strike out lines 50 to 37 inclusive comprising claim 58; and for the claim numbers "39" "40" "4l" "42" and "43" read 38, 39, 40, 4l, and 42; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record o' the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this lst day of September, A. D. 1936.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

